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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
Name:
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Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
Hi Girls! I was thinking that it might be a fun idea to start a Holiday Traditions thread this year that we can keep going through the new year. I am always looking for ideas for the holidays (Xmas, Thanksgiving, etc.) whether it be a great recipe or a special tradition I can start with my own family. So bookmark this page and let's start adding our favorite holiday traditions, recipes, decorating tips, and more for everyone to share! Happy Holidays!! 
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Posted 11/1/10 4:24 PM  |
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Long Island Weddings
Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource |
MrsFlatbread
Skinny jeans are in my future
Member since 6/06 10258 total posts
Name:
Baby Momma
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
Train around the Christmas tree. DS will get a new Lionel every year to add to his train.
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| Posted 11/1/10 4:25 PM |
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carissa1643
I LOVE my sons! :)
Member since 5/09 5283 total posts
Name:
Carissa
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
This will be our 1st christmas as a family. Before DS the only tradition I have is black friday shopping, then putting up the tree on Friday and decorating the rest of the weekend.
As far as the actual christmas days, I'll have to think of the way I want things with my family. We used to open stockings first then the big gifts. Nothing original, just something we did while we had to wait for my dad to get the video camera ready 
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| Posted 11/1/10 4:27 PM |
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Meggo613
im a big girl!
Member since 2/07 4536 total posts
Name:
Megan
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
This is a great thread i love it!!!!
our 3 holiday traditions are..
1. We go to Vermont Every year for a night or 2 to go and cut down our christmas tree! its amazing and relaxing! I always went as a little girl and teenager with my parents and then my dh and i started going when we got engaged, abby went last year but this year is going be amazing since she can run the mountain i cant wait 
2. we have xmas eve with my inlaws and its always a sh!t show and a ton of fun
3. i plan on putting up a sheet to block off the house from the living room so when Xmas morning comes its like the unveiling of the gifts.. my parents always did this for us and i want to do it for abby!! i cant wait to see the look on her face!
Message edited 11/1/2010 4:29:16 PM.
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| Posted 11/1/10 4:28 PM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
Name:
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
My DH and his family had this really pretty manager set his dad had made when they were little. So every year they would set up the manager but leave out Baby Jesus. On Xmas morning the first thing they would do before opening gifts was add Baby Jesus to the manager because he was finally "born".
My family had a special Xmas advent calendar that my mom sewed. Each day in December my sister, brother, and I would take turns adding an "ornament" to the tree. The day after Xmas Day was always our "stay in and play" day. We spent the day as a family at home all day playing with our new toys. My parents played games with us ALL day, we watched Xmas movies/cartoons and we were allowed to eat whatever we wanted all day long even if it was Xmas cookies for breakfast and homemade fudge for dinner. It was the MOST fun day, sometimes even better than Xmas itself. I plan on doing the same thing with my DD and future children. It's so nice to have a stress free, relaxing day after all the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
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| Posted 11/1/10 4:31 PM |
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Salason
♥
Member since 6/05 9878 total posts
Name:
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
Posted by Hofstra26
The day after Xmas Day was always our "stay in and play" day. We spent the day as a family at home all day playing with our new toys. My parents played games with us ALL day, we watched Xmas movies/cartoons and we were allowed to eat whatever we wanted all day long even if it was Xmas cookies for breakfast and homemade fudge for dinner. It was the MOST fun day, sometimes even better than Xmas itself. I plan on doing the same thing with my DD and future children. It's so nice to have a stress free, relaxing day after all the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
LOVE this idea!
We always watch Elf, Christmas Vacation and A Charlie Brown Christmas while we put up our tree and bake cookies that day too. It's my favorite day of the year We got engaged putting up our 1st Christmas tree 
Message edited 11/1/2010 4:52:38 PM.
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| Posted 11/1/10 4:40 PM |
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mathteach
Roll Tide!
Member since 8/08 3169 total posts
Name:
Christine
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
Every year we buy each kid their own ornament. When they move out they can take them to start their tree with. We also read The Polar Express on Xmas eve, we watch Elf and Charlie Brown while we decorate the tree.
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| Posted 11/1/10 4:47 PM |
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Bops
My 3 wishes
Member since 12/07 13625 total posts
Name:
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
We each open a pair of new Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve to wear that night for Christmas morning
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| Posted 11/1/10 4:51 PM |
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Little-J-Mommy
I'm a Big Brother
Member since 5/06 8041 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
Love this thread
We start our Christmas tradition on Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving day, we each pick a name out of a hat of all the family members present. During the course of the day we each decorate a wooden or ceramic ornament with paint, glitter, etc for our secret person. We have dinner and anyone who isn't finished gets a chance to finish up. The ornaments are presented to each other at dessert. Everyone leaves Thanksgiving with the first new ornament of the year. 
We have a ton more.....I'll edit and add to this when I have more time to type
eta:
Posted by Bops
We each open a pair of new Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve to wear that night for Christmas morning
we do this too
eta:
~We go to church for midnight mass then back to my parents for cold cuts, we leave a note for Santa (even still to this day, but now it's my son that leaves it )
~ever since we were little my parents waited until we went to bed to put any gifts under the tree...they still do this 
~Elf on the Shelf (we start this at Thanksgiving as well)
~This year we're having an Advent Calendar (I love Rojonero's idea of earning the piece of chocolate....ds is 4, but we'll try a modified version of this)
~Raindeer food out on the front lawn on Christmas Eve (glitter and oatmeal)
~Since Dh and I have been married, we've gotten a family ornament with our names and the year. So excited to get the family of four this year for the first time 
Message edited 11/2/2010 7:54:47 AM.
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| Posted 11/1/10 4:56 PM |
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mathteach
Roll Tide!
Member since 8/08 3169 total posts
Name:
Christine
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
Posted by Bops
We each open a pair of new Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve to wear that night for Christmas morning
Oh yeah, that, too. How could I forget it
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| Posted 11/1/10 4:57 PM |
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sunflowerjesss
Mommy to 3!
Member since 10/05 20369 total posts
Name:
Jesss, duh.
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
Posted by mathteach
Posted by Bops
We each open a pair of new Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve to wear that night for Christmas morning
Oh yeah, that, too. How could I forget it
We do this also.
DS and I make "Reindeer Food" usually the week before Christmas. We sprinkle it on our lawn on Christmas Eve.
ETA- on Christmas morning after we are done opening presents I start to make breakfast. While I am cooking we put on Charlie Browns Christmas.
Christmas Eve is always spent with my inlaws and Santa (my DH) comes to give out presents to the kids!
Message edited 11/1/2010 5:23:19 PM.
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| Posted 11/1/10 5:21 PM |
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brownie
Baby #1 is here!
Member since 11/08 13903 total posts
Name:
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
Well this is for Thanksgiving but DH and I volunteer to deliver meals for the Equinox dinner. It's the morning of Thanksgiving and takes about 2-3hrs. DD is a little young this year to really help/stand in line, so next year for her. We just started doing this 5yrs ago, and hope to continue with it....
At some point on Christmas Eve, we watch National Lampoons Christmas Vacation 
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| Posted 11/1/10 5:37 PM |
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sugar-magnolia
Love my baby girls
Member since 6/07 2281 total posts
Name:
n
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
We have a few:
The night before Thanksgiving, I give everyone new PJ's to watch the parade in.
I always make Million Dollar Granola Pie.
We always go to Hicks and Martin Viette to pick a family ornament together.
For Christmas, I put X-mas PJ's in everyone's stockings to wear that night, and Christmas morning we always listen to a Charlie Brown Christmas CD while we open presents.
I make Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast.
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| Posted 11/1/10 5:46 PM |
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MrsPowers
So blessed!
Member since 11/06 10348 total posts
Name:
Ivelysse
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
Posted by Bops
We each open a pair of new Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve to wear that night for Christmas morning
We are starting this tradition this year! I just ordered us our jammies the other day!!!
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| Posted 11/1/10 5:51 PM |
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jgl
Love my little boys!!!
Member since 8/07 7060 total posts
Name:
g
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
my mom always bought us (and still does  ) christmas pjs and gives them to us xmas eve.
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| Posted 11/1/10 5:53 PM |
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GioiaMia
Let's Go Rangers!
Member since 1/07 14818 total posts
Name:
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
I already started reading Christmas books to DD so she knows all about it
We read "The Night Before Christmas," "My First Story of Christmas" and "The Spirit of Christmas."
At midnight on Christmas Eve we change the light in the Nativity from Green to Red and put Jesus in the manger. Then we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. The youngest always gets to do this so this year DD will get to do it!
We get matching pajamas for Christmas Morning!
Christmas Eve we meet up with my brother and sister at Church and then go to my parents for a seafood dinner (including baccala!).
Christmas morning is just for "us" Christmas day is for my ILs and Christmas evening is for some heavy drinking with friends LOL
As the kids leave my parents' house, I give them some little carrots to leave out for the reindeer!
GREAT thread idea, thanks for starting it!
Message edited 11/1/2010 5:56:30 PM.
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| Posted 11/1/10 5:54 PM |
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rojerono
Happiest.
Member since 8/06 13803 total posts
Name:
Jeannie
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
The boys have been hand making ornaments forever. I keep them all. I hang them all. They get such a kick out of seeing what they've done in the past and how far they have come in their artistic endeavors. We also buy each boy one ornament per year. We talk about them as we unpack.. like I have a Christmas puppy and kitty ornament and I tell Noah that we bought it because he used to call the cat "Doggie" over and over. And I'd say "No.. kitty!" and then when I got tired I'd say "Okay - fine.. doggie" and he'd immediately say "KITTY!" and laugh and laugh. Every ornament for each year holds a memory. When they grow up and move out.. they can take the ornaments with them to their new tree.
We have an Advent Calendar that helps count down. But in order to get the treat for the day - they must also give a 'gift' to Jesus. Usually that means a little good deed - like complimenting someone or offering to help when you aren't asked.
We set up the Nativity early in the month - and on Christmas Eve we read the Gospel according to St. Luke and one of the boys gets to put Baby Jesus in the manger.
We do our annual Angel Tree shopping. We pick a needy family and buy food and gifts together for them. On Christmas Morning they pick one of their new gifts to give to a child in need. They also have to choose one of their gifts and let their brother play with it FIRST.
They make Reindeer food (Oatmeal and glitter) and leave it outside for the reindeer with a couple of carrots. They also leave a healthy snack and a bad snack for santa with his cocoa. (We make sure that the WHOLE healthy snack is gone.. and only a nibble of the 'bad' snack).
We have a Christmas Eve Party (used to be my parent's thing.. but then it passed to my sister and last year I hosted it and will do so forevermore!) every year. They get their gift from us there (the ornament and their Christmas PJ's). They also get gifts from family friends and my sisters. They wear new Christmas PJ's to bed.
I remembered something else we do. Santa writes a letter to the boys - like.. a year in review thing. We tell them what they did that was fabulous and give them some tips as to what they may want to work on in the coming year.
When they stop believing in Santa (Robbie is in the 'know' now) - we will start writing letters to them from us instead. Or .. maybe we will keep it "Santa" just for shits and giggles.
I'm sure now that the 'cat is out of the bag' with Robbie, we will change a few things. But most things will stay!
Newer tradition is going to "The Miracle On Main Street" in our town. They do a Christmas tree lighting and caroling and have a parade the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
I don't make a giant breakfast on Christmas because Christmas dinner is early.. but last year I made cinnamon buns and baked french toast for a late dessert on Christmas day. It was so much fun to eat 'upside down' that I think we will do it every year!
Also .. for Rob and I.. after the littles are in bed on Christmas night.. we play with all their toys!!
Message edited 11/1/2010 6:07:12 PM.
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| Posted 11/1/10 6:01 PM |
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tara73
carseat nerd
Member since 11/09 3669 total posts
Name:
Buttercup
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
We watch a Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation.
This year we're going to start the Elf on the Shelf
We get personalized ornaments with the year but I think that after DD2 gets her 1st Christmas one this year we will stick with just the family one with all 4 of our names and the year.
We open 1 present Christmas Eve
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| Posted 11/1/10 6:01 PM |
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KennysMommy
Never knew LOVE like it before
Member since 3/10 2640 total posts
Name:
Danielle
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
I love this thread! Every Christmas Eve when I was a kid, we went to a family friend's house and had the big seafood dinner there. Then right before dessert, Santa would come! Until I was TOLD the truth, I truly believed Santa came every year!!!! We got 1 present there from Santa and by the time we got home (after midnight) the tree would be FILLED with presents under it! We'd stay up all night opening them! We'd spend the next day, Christmas day, hanging out and relaxing.
I'd like to follow the same traditions, but DH wants to keep to the traditional Christmas Day opening of presents. He does NOT want Santa to visit.  Maybe we can compromise in a year or two....
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| Posted 11/1/10 6:29 PM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
Name:
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
Posted by tarabelle99
We watch a Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation.
This year we're going to start the Elf on the Shelf
We get personalized ornaments with the year but I think that after DD2 gets her 1st Christmas one this year we will stick with just the family one with all 4 of our names and the year.
We open 1 present Christmas Eve
We're starting the "Elf on a Shelf" this year with our DD. I bought him last year but she was too little to have a clue.
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| Posted 11/1/10 6:52 PM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
Name:
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
BUMP for the nighttime crew!
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| Posted 11/1/10 10:16 PM |
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Dani77
It's FUN to be ONE
Member since 7/09 4363 total posts
Name:
Danicia
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
LOVE this thread!! Just seeing it now!!
In the past, since we only had one holiday with just DH and I, we just exchanged ordaments with eachtoehr... everything else was pretty basic. Well, of corse me baking TONS of cookies to bring to everyones house..I loove baking! LOL. I wrap that up on seperate cookie platters and make them all pretty. AH. But I did that since I was about 10 LOL.
This year we are starting a few new things now that DS is here
-Going out east to cut down our own tree. DS will LOOVE helping Daddy with this when he's older! (Plus neither of US expirenced it either, so it'll be fun!)
-Having a morning pancake breakfast...which once my DS is older, he'll help making them in fun designs. (My Dad used to do that with me, and I always loved it)
-Getting a new ordament for DS each year
-Santa gets to come this year!! YAAAY! So that means, half eaten cookies, missing milk LOL
As for Thanksgiving, I'm still thinking this one out. I never NEEDED to cook in the past b/c we always go to 2 different placs...but Thanksgiving just hasnt been the same since I don't smell a turkey cooking at 8am or sooner LOL. I think I may jsut make our own little one each year, and then still go to everyone elses dinner.. HA.
Thaqt's all I can think of so far LOL
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| Posted 11/1/10 10:40 PM |
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wowcoulditbe
wow, pic is already 1 yr old!!
Member since 1/06 6689 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
we do alot of what people already posted, started elf on a shelf last year and its fun...but the one thing i grew up doing that we do every yr for our girls is get one new ornament each...when i was old enough and had my apt, i had a tree full of memories from it and i can't wait to pass it along to my girls one day too (of course I  thinking about it, but to think that they will remember stories about the ornaments one day like i do, is too cool for me!)
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| Posted 11/1/10 10:47 PM |
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mamallama
<3 <3 <3
Member since 9/07 5035 total posts
Name:
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
new pajamas for christmas eve
cookies cookies cookies!!!
"nicer" gifts in the stockings always
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| Posted 11/1/10 10:47 PM |
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mamallama
<3 <3 <3
Member since 9/07 5035 total posts
Name:
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Re: Holiday Traditions Thread - Please Come On In
Posted by Jenna
new pajamas for christmas eve
cookies cookies cookies!!!
"nicer" gifts in the stockings always
oh and forgot to say we also cut down the tree ourselves
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| Posted 11/1/10 10:47 PM |
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